And smalishah's avatar is the most classy one by far Jan certainly echoes the sentiments of CW

Yeah we don't crap in the first world; most of us would actually have no idea what that was emanating from Ajmal's backside. Why isn't it roses and rainbows like what happens here? PEWS's retort to Ganeshran on Daemon's picture depicting Ajmal's excreta

Nah I mean his individual spell post-lunch where he got Pujara (with possibly the greatest delivery I have ever seen in Test cricket) and Dhoni and beat Tendulkar's bat with outswingers about ten times. Tendulkar was batting right across his stumps a mile outside his crease - one well-pitched inswinger/inducker and he was dead. But every time he tried it would go down leg or just not go at all.

Interesting. Where would you consider Jimmy Anderson in all this?

If there's one person in world cricket who can move it either way on demand, then it's Jimmeh.

If there's one person in world cricket who can move it either way on demand, then it's Jimmeh.

There is a reason he holds the record for dismissing Tendulkar the most times.

His method for combating big hooping outswingers seems to be bat right in front of his stumps and plant his front foot down and play from there, hoping to frustrate the bowlers into pitching straight in search of the magic ball and into his zone. All well and good until one pitches outside off then comes back in.

So when both Broad and Anderson got the ball to move away and then also getting a few to nip back sharply (2nd innings @ Lord's especially) it's no surprise he was well and truly ****ed.

It's why I say Pattinson really needs the ball that comes back in to have Tendulkar in deep trouble. Siddle has it but he doesn't swing it away. He's too good to miss straight balls.

Yes Jimmy and Steyn are pretty clear from the chasing pack at the moment, they've countered having to bowl in all kinds of conditions over a long period of time. But the future of fast bowling looks good providing these young players can be managed well and do not get swayed by earning fortunes in a mickey mouse format of cricket.

I would say Jimmy is in the top bracket with Steyn, a level above the rest. Zaheer might be there if he were fit.

Jimmy actually bowls as many inswingers as he does outswingers. The inswinger is almost his stock delivery now, certainly to lefties. He pushes it across, pushes it across, and the one hitting the stumps is the surprise delivery.

I would say Jimmy is in the top bracket with Steyn, a level above the rest. Zaheer might be there if he were fit.

Jimmy actually bowls as many inswingers as he does outswingers. The inswinger is almost his stock delivery now, certainly to lefties. He pushes it across, pushes it across, and the one hitting the stumps is the surprise delivery.

Imagine Steyn and Anderson as a new ball pairing!

Yes he bowls his inswinger much more frequently to left-handers (outswinger to them), that is the option he takes rather than consistenly swinging it into the lefties and then pushing the odd one across them. To the right-handers though his stock ball is definitely swinging it away from them.

Yes he bowls his inswinger much more frequently to left-handers (outswinger to them), that is the option he takes rather than consistenly swinging it into the lefties and then pushing the odd one across them. To the right-handers though his stock ball is definitely swinging it away from them.

Yes I won't argue with that. Tremendously skilled bowler, and who would have thought it 5 years ago when he was getting battered down under?

These upstarts in Australia have everything going for them. They've got the raw skills and time is on their side.

the aussie quicks look good......their batting seems to be having brain farts now when previously they seemed imperious. I guess you can have all the confidence in the world when you know you have McWarne to bowl from your team

Yes I won't argue with that. Tremendously skilled bowler, and who would have thought it 5 years ago when he was getting battered down under?

These upstarts in Australia have everything going for them. They've got the raw skills and time is on their side.

I agree, he has become a tremendously skilled bowler. The biggest improvement is being effective and working to a gameplan even when conditions are not swing-friendly. We've always known he's capable of running through a side when it's swinging round corners, but it was the lack of a Plan B that held him back, he now does have alternative skills and it has coincided with England becoming a real force in Test cricket.

Australia should be really optimistic about the future of their quicks. We've seen Cummins and Pattinson have immediate impacts in two Test series, and also the form of Peter Siddle against NZ has looked pretty good. But certainly for the short-term they need Ryan Harris fit and firing for the Indian series.